Behind These Glowing Eyes
by Ishtar Tiger
Summary: After a evening in Warren's City's bars, Vash finds himself literally falling for a mysterious and quiet young woman who awakens old, near-dead emotions in Vash and causes his powers to become unstable. Love story. Will continue to update as long as I get enough reviews.
1. Chapter One: Sweet Intoxication

_This is a story I started about a year ago and have recently returned to working on. If there's enough interest, I'll keep posting chapters._

_I wanted to play with writing Trigun's main character, so here you have: Behind Glowing Eyes._

Behind These Glowing Eyes

Chapter One: Sweet Intoxication

WARRENS CITY

The girl sat in a dark doorway across from the Saloon. She was use to being alone, but the joy and laughter that emanated from the brightly lit bar cut her deeply. She gazed at the silhouettes of the merry townsfolk with tear-filled eyes. But she wouldn't cry, she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing they had hurt her.

She had always been the oddball in the town, the one who didn't quite fit in. But she was okay with that. She was glad she had been born and raised to have a keen eye and be very perceptive. She was grateful to have had parents who taught her to look for the good in everyone, and to be herself, no matter what others thought.

But that didn't mean she liked being the laughingstock of the town.

So her short, bleach-blonde hair usually had an inch of brown roots showing, so what? Why was that something they should mock her for? She was always kind to them, always helpful when they brought things into her shop for her to fix. She didn't charge exorbitant prices for her goods or services like others in the town did, just because they had no competition.

But the people of Warrens City didn't seem to care about that. Even now two women laughed openly at her as they entered the Saloon. She snorted in disgust.

"You may laugh at me," she whispered, "but I know the only happiness you find is in the bottom of a bottle."

She bit her lip and ducked her head to hide the few tears that leaked from her ice blue eyes. She didn't know why she cried for them, but it made her immensely sad to see people that miserable.

Clearing her throat, she wiped her eyes and brushed the tears from her leather pants, and went back to watching the shadows on the wall of the bar.

In a few moments, she heard a raucous, drunken laughter. She actually smiled at the sound, hearing in it the first sounds of true joy she had heard in eons. And her smile grew wider as she caught sight of the man the voice belonged to.

He was dressed in red from neck to foot, with a black sleeve on his left arm. His blonde hair was spiked straight up, and a pair of yellow sunglasses rested on his forehead. His gorgeous green eyes were slightly bloodshot, and he stumbled out of the double doors laughing until he landed on his rump in the middle of the street.

The girl snickered at that, hiding her face behind her hand as the man again tried to rise, only to stumble and fall again, laughing merrily all the while. She closed her eyes and shook with silent laughter.

Until something landed heavily in her lap.

With a gasp she opened her eyes to find herself staring into those of the man in red.

"Well, hello there," he said cheerily, smiling up at her.

"Um… Hi." She frowned, unsure what to do. The man had landed so that his head was in her lap while the rest of his body sprawled down the stairs of her shop's stoop.

He let out a loud laugh, his breath smelling terrible of alcohol. "Is that the best you can do? Hi?"

"Sir, I do believe you are drunk." She fanned the air in front of her nose to get rid of the smell.

"What do you mean?" He grinned foolishly as he moved off her lap and propped himself up on one elbow beside her.

She smiled as his casual manner. "I mean, I think you've had too much to drink, sir."

"What's with calling me 'sir'?" He winked and then lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "A pretty lady like you can just call me Vash."

It was her turn to laugh at him. "Like the Stampede?"

He gazed at her a moment, his green eyes clearing slightly. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure." She replied. Who would she tell? She had no friends in this town, and this man wasn't a local. She'd never seen him around before.

"I am Vash the Stampede."

She burst into laughter.

The man frowned. "No, ma'am. I'm serious."

His tone caught her off guard. He certainly sounded serious. She flushed crimson.

"I'm – I'm so sorry I laughed at you, sir." She turned her head away. How foolish of her to have laughed at him. How could she have treated him the way others treated her?

He reached a gentle hand up to turn her head back toward him. "Hey, it's okay."

The gentleness of his touch and his tone touched her greatly. She sniffed back tears as she gazed into his eyes.

"You've been laughed at before," he stated, his tone part empathetic, part angered.

"Everyday. But that's not your problem, Mr. Vash." She offered him a smile she didn't quite feel.

"Is that why you weren't inside, celebrating with the rest of the town?"

She nodded, reaching up and taking the gloved hand he still had on her cheek.

"I heard that Frank Marlin had come out of retirement, and that he and some stranger had saved the town."

The man called Vash grinned up her. "I guess I'm guilty as charged."

Her eyes widened. "You?! You were the one who stood up to those bandits?"

He nodded so fiercely his glasses fell back into place on his nose, then slid to the end, almost falling off.

Before she could stop herself she leaned down and kissed the stranger soundly. She felt him tense at her sudden action, but he quickly relaxed and returned the gesture. He tasted of cheap whiskey and smelled nearly as bad, but she didn't care.

"What was that for?" he asked quietly when she pulled away from him.

She swallowed hard, blushing furiously. "I – Um, well, you see…. My parents. They were killed in a bandit raid a while back."

Sadness filled the strange man's eyes as he saw her for the strong young woman she was.

"Thank you for saving the town, Mr. Vash," she whispered. "I would have hated for another child to have their parents taken from them as I did."

"You're very welcome." He reached up and gently stroked her cheek. "I hate to see pain." _Like I see in your eyes._

"As do I," she replied.

"It's awful late for a woman to be out alone. Can I walk you home?" Vash asked, perking up suddenly, trying to lift their spirits.

"Actually, it wouldn't be far to walk. This is my shop. I live just up the stairs," she laughed. "Where are you staying, Mr. Vash? In your current state I don't think I should let you walk home alone."

"I – I'm – Um…" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and looked embarrassed. "I'm not staying anywhere, actually."

The girl stood and reached down to help him to his feet.

"Well, the least I can offer our town's savior is my spare room." She smiled. "So long as you promise to behave yourself."

He laughed. "I promise. After all that booze all I want to do is sleep anyway," Vash said, taking her hand and allowing her to help him steady himself. "What did you say your name was again?"

"I didn't," she replied.

"Well, then, what is it?"

"Ren."

Vash instantly sobered. "_What_?!"

"I said my name was Ren. It means water lily." She smiled, ignoring his outburst.

"Oh. Ren… I though you said – Nevermind." He frowned in thought.

"Come on, you silly man. I think you had _way_ too much tonight."

He laughed with her as she lead him up to her spare room and then departed to her own bed.


	2. Chapter Two: Deep Scars

Chapter Two: Deep Scars

Vash lay on the comfortable bed thinking about the evening. He could get used to living in a place like this, he thought. Having friends, and knowing people like Frank Marlin and…. Ren. How different from the rest she was. When he'd told her who he was she hadn't tried to drag him in to the authorities. She hadn't gasped and acted frightened or turned him away like he was the bearer of a plague. She had simply smiled and laughed. She'd seen him for who he was. A kind soul, without a place to sleep or call home, and she'd offered him that. At least for a night.

And that was more than most.

* * *

Ren yawned and stretched in the early morning light. She sniffed the air as the smell of food cooking reached her nostrils. It took a moment before she recalled the previous night's events.

"He cooks? He can stay here as long as he likes," she mumbled under her breath as she donned a dressing gown and stumbled down the stairs, still half-asleep, into the kitchen.

She drew in a sharp breath as she reached the door. He was standing at the stove, with his back to her, wearing a simple white shirt with black sleeves and loose black pants. His blonde hair fell forward over his head. He looked so very different from the fierce, albeit drunken, man she had met the night before. The gaudy clothes and polarized glasses gone, Ren felt as if she could see the true man only now.

Vash turned around as he took a bite of the toast topped with a fried egg he'd been making. Catching the sight of Ren, he yelped and dropped the food.

"Aww, man!" he whined, scraping it from the floor and looking longingly at the dusty remains of his breakfast. "You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

Ren laughed at him and came to take the ruined toast and throw it away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." She smiled at him, beginning to wonder if he was still drunk or if he always acted this way.

She pulled out a chair at her small kitchen table. "Here, have a seat and I'll fix us a more substantial breakfast, m'kay?"

Vash nervously rubbed at the back of his neck. What was it about this girl? No one managed to get as close as she had without his noticing them. "A- All right, thanks."

He sat down in the chair so that he could watch her all the while she cooked, suspicion lingering even though he wanted so badly to trust her, someone, anyone, just for once.

"Do you like bacon, Mr…. Oh, I'm not sure I know your name," she laughed, turning to smile at him again.

How could she be so cheery? It almost got on his nerves, until he saw the slight stressed look on her face. She smiled and laughed like he did… to hide the pain and torture each truly felt.

"I told you last night. It's Vash," he replied, his face falling into the same empty smile hers held. He inwardly cursed himself for it.

She turned back to the stove. "Vash? Really? I thought you were just drunk…."

He laughed nervously. "You going to pull a Derringer out of your gown now and tell me you're taking me in for the 60 billion $$ reward?"

She turned to look at him and cocked her head slightly as she studied him. He was a curious man, indeed.

Vash grew even more nervous, if that was possible, under her intense stare. But when she spoke, relief washed over him and he sank down in his chair.

"The worst thing I have seen you do is get terribly drunk and drop some toast. I don't think that's a crime worthy of a 60 billion $$ reward, do you?"

"No," he breathed, "No, I do not."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her glance at him, a true smile on her face for the first time since he'd stumbled upon her the night before. She turned back to her cooking so quickly, though, he was unsure if he had imagined it or not.

"Well, what plans do you have after breakfast, Mr. Scary Gunman?" Ren asked a few minutes later as she set two plates on the table.

"Well…" He rubbed his neck as he eyed the delicious looking bacon, eggs and toast. "I was kind of hoping to take a bath."

She blushed slightly. "Well, feel free to use the water here. Sorry I can't promise it'll be very warm, but it'll get you clean."

He smiled. Her blush made her look absolutely adorable. _What are you thinking?! _"Thanks."

* * *

About thirty minutes later, Ren carefully dried and placed the last plate in it's proper place in the cabinet. She sighed as dried her hands and wiped down the counter.

A soft sound reached her ears, almost like someone….

It _was_ someone humming, and humming a very old song at that.

"Could it be… him?" she wondered aloud, setting aside the dishtowel. Before she reached the top of the steps she caught herself humming along to the song her mother had sang to her when she was but a babe. Without thinking, she pushed open the door to the spare bedroom.

"_Hey!_" Vash yelped, quickly pushing the door back shut.

"Sorry!" Ren called, blushing furiously. "I – That song, I just – "

The door opened a fragment so that she could see one piercing green eye gazing at her. "You know that song?" His voice was almost a childish squeak and Ren couldn't help but smile at the happiness she heard in his tone.

"So... On the first night, a pebble falls to the earth from somewhere," she sang softly.

The eye disappeared as the door shut again. Ren heard scuffling, and then the door opened.

"You can come in now." His voice was soft, filled with…. Was it joy? Or pain? Or somewhere in between.

She slowly peeked into the room, and let out a small gasp at what she saw.

Vash, who she was now sure this man truly was, stood by the bed in only a pair of loose pants with his back to her, furiously rubbing his hair with a towel. His back was a macabre scene of scars and stitch marks, and his left arm ended above the elbow. As he turned and draped the towel over his shoulder she gasped again, her hand going to her mouth in a poor attempt to hide her shock as she realized the only part of him that wasn't ravaged by some scar or missing piece of flesh must be his face.

He let out an unamused laugh. "Yeah… The price I pay for not killing anyone…" This time, it was he who blushed furiously. "It's not what most girls want to look at… I'm not very sexy…." _And I wish I was… For your sake._

"Oh, you poor, poor man," Ren breathed. "Here they put the price on your head and call you the Humanoid Typhoon, yet…. Look at the price you pay to keep people safe…. And without _death._" Tears rolled unbidden down her cheeks and moved forward to wrap her arms around him in a tight hug.

Vash was thoroughly confused by her actions. He let out a soft snort of puzzlement before he hesitantly, gingerly placed his hand on the back of her head. "Ren, please…. Don't – Don't cry. Not for me…"

She sniffed and looked up at him, the tears staining her face in a way that made her look even more attractive to him. No woman had ever responded to seeing his scars in this way. The few women over the years who had caught a glimpse of him had cried out in horror and fled or wrinkled their nose in disgust at him.

"And why shouldn't I?" she squeaked between sniffs. "Or am I wrong in guessing that no one else will?"

His tense body relaxed at that. This woman, this…. Ren…. Ren saw him for what he truly was.

"No one else has seen me…. As you do," he whispered honestly. The sadness in his green eyes was almost too much for her to bear.

"Then I must weep for all of them. They hunt the one man who would save them. How? How can they be so blind?"

"Men are…. Easily persuaded by what they _think_ they see," Vash whispered, a distant look coming into his eyes. His face hardened slightly. "They see disaster in my wake and attribute it to the man who walks away, not to the one who started the ruckus in the first place."

Ren cleared her throat and stepped away from him. Immediately he felt her absence and a bitter cold replaced her warmth. Why did this woman effect him so?

"Forgive me for being forward," she murmured, and turned to leave.

"Thank you for seeing _me_, " he whispered to her. He saw her straighten and could feel her smile as she walked away from his room.

As soon as he could hear her moving downstairs, he threw himself on the bed and covered his face with his hand.

"Dear Lord, man, what has gotten into you?!" he cursed himself quietly. "You let her…." His voice trailed off as he parted his fingers to look down at himself through them. He shook his head as he dropped his hand to his side and lay back on the pillow.

"You let her see you…."


	3. Chapter Three: What Eyes Can't See

_Sorry for spamming. . I'm new to adding chapters. Had to correct some stuff, so I re-posted._

* * *

Chapter Three: What Eyes Can't See

Ren looked up as she heard the creaking of the stairs and Vash entered the kitchen. His hair was dry now, but it still fell forward, the tips shadowing his eyes, which held a light to them she hadn't noticed before. He again wore the loose pants and black and white shirt. The small smile that crossed his face as he looked at her made his eyes light up even more.

"So… What do you do all day?" he asked her.

She set the broom she had been sweeping with against the counter and motioned for him to follow her.

"Today is really my day off," she laughed, "But a woman's work is never done."

She opened a door and led him into a small, dusty storefront. Numerous clocks and other ornate trinkets adorned the walls and the shelves were filled with wire figurines and wind-up children's toys.

"Wow…. You repair this kind of stuff?"

"Repair it? Yes…. But all the things on these shelves I made." Ren walked over to the workbench in the corner and picked up a child's toy that had certainly seen better days.

"Whaaaaaaaat?! You _make_ this?" Vash picked up the dainty, tiny toys and studied them, ducking as a cuckoo clock chimed the hour above his head. "I didn't know craftsmen like you still existed."

"Well, I'm nothing like my parents," she said offhandedly, settling a cap with several magnifying lenses on it onto her head as she set to work on the toy. Vash came over to sit on the extra stool beside her and watched, fascinated as she worked with the tiny cogs and gears that were hard for even him to see.

"Could you hand me that screwdriver?"

He obliged, and when she reached to take it from his left hand, she noticed that it was icy cold. Looking down, she realized that his prosthetic arm was bare of the leather "glove" she had assumed hw wore the night before.

"It's funny… I didn't really notice your arm was a prosthetic until now," she commented as she turned a tiny screw and secured a spring in place.

Vash spoke slowly as he watched her work. "The human mind only perceives that which it wishes to see…. You saw no flaws in me because you didn't _want_ to."

"What flaws?" She tipped the cap up and looked up at him. A sad look settled over his features and she frowned at the sight of it.

"For one thing I drink too much," he mumbled, taking the toy from her hands and gently securing another piece of it.

"I think you only do that because you must have something horrible you wish to forget."

"The only problem is," he paused to look her in the eye, "I can't remember what it is I wish to forget."

She turned away, unable to stand the pain she saw on his face. They sat in silence for a few moments, the only sounds the clinking of her tools as she worked on the tiny wind-up bear.

"My parents were killed in the same bandit raid that Frank Marlin lost his wife and child in. It was Thursday morning, the day they made their weekly deposit from the safe… They went out… And just… never came back. The mayor himself came to tell me…. I can't really remember what happened, since I wasn't there, but what I can visualize from the stories…" She looked up with tear-filled eyes. "_That_ is what – "

" – What I wish I could forget," Vash whispered.

Their gazes locked as he said those words, both feeling the weight of the tragedies in their lives.

This time, Ren was startled by Vash wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to stop them, Ren."

"It's not your fault, Vash," she whispered. She squirmed and Vash yelped as the forgotten bear toy was smashed between them. As they separated, she held it up. Springs and cogs stuck out at all angles and the thin casing was crushed so that it no longer resembled a bear whatsoever.

"But I'm afraid this _is _your fault," Ren said with a snort of laughter.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, looking shamefaced.

For some reason this made Ren laugh all the more, which in turn caused an outburst from Vash. The two laughed until they were exhausted and tears rolled freely down their cheeks as they leaned against each other and gasped for breath.

* * *

"So is this what you do in the evenings?" Vash asked as he sat beside Ren on the steps to her shop. Passersby waved and called to him as they headed to the saloon.

"Usually," she replied. "But I don't get this much attention."

They had spent the rest of the day working in Ren's shop repairing toys and clocks. When it had gotten too dark to see by the light of the gas lamps, they had come to sit on the steps.

Vash studied Ren, frowning at the sadness he saw hidden in her features.

"I'm kind of the laughingstock of this town," she explained quietly, watching the ladies go by in their fine garments. Vash didn't miss the look of longing in her eyes as she gazed on the fine silk dresses.

"Why is that? I don't find you funny at all," Vash teased her.

Ren laughed quietly. "Well, see, I'm a little more zealous about work than most women here. On top of that I don't have any nice clothes, I'm not very stunning, and my hair grows so fast I can't keep the roots from showing."

Vash snorted.

She turned from the crowd and realized he had been staring at her the whole time. His intense gaze made her a little uneasy. "What?"

He looked her over from head to foot, his sharp eyes taking in every detail of the dainty body she hid behind loose leather pants and an over-sized peasant styled blouse. Still, she was beautiful to him. He knew he shouldn't let himself think it, but it was true.

"Every time I look at you, you take my breath away," he whispered in her ear. And it was true. Her heart was so like that of Rem Saverem's….

Ren blushed furiously, and tried to stutter a reply, but she fell silent as she noticed the girls who had mocked her the night before were now looking at her with envy.

"They're wondering how _you _could end up with the man who saved the town," Vash whispered.

"I – I… Um… I think I'm going to bed early," she stammered, jumping up and hurrying into her house.

Vash smiled after her, though he was mentally berating himself. He had embarrassed her. The fool he was!

He sat there on the steps a while longer, watching as the saloon girls began to wander outside, each of them trying to catch his eye. But he had never agreed with women using their bodies in such a way. And tonight, it only frustrated him more that these women who degraded themselves so horribly would throw themselves at him, and yet would laugh at a strong woman such as Ren.

Saddened by the way the evening had turned out, he, too, decided to retire early.

"Vash?" he heard Ren call as he passed her room.

He stopped in her dark doorway, rubbing his neck nervously. "Mind if I stay another night?" He forced a chuckle he didn't feel.

"Stay as long as you like…."

He waited, thinking she would say more, but when she didn't, he turned and headed toward the spare room. As he neared his door, his keen ears picked up the softest whisper:

"Thank you…."

"You're very welcome," he whispered back, a smile growing on his features.


	4. Chapter Four: Of Things Lost

_Okay, updates will probably will slower in coming now. .  
School has started up, and I'm a teacher. Also, I've caught up to myself, and everything henceforth is being written as I update. If that makes sense. =P_

* * *

Chapter Four: Of Things "Lost"

The next morning, Vash awoke before the dawn. Not wanting to wake Ren, he quietly dressed, crept down the stairs, and headed to the saloon for breakfast. As he finished eating, he noticed a group of boys playing in the street.

It was in the headlock of the smallest of these boys that Ren found him a few hours later.

"Hey, Miss Ren! Look! I got the Humanoid Typhoon pinned!" the young boy called to her, letting go of Vash's neck to wave both hands.

"You sure do," Vash laughed, settling the boy onto his shoulders before he stood up. "Good morning, Ren."

She smiled at the broad grin on his face that lit up his eyes. "Good morning, Vash. You be careful up there, Thomas. Hold on tight."

"I will, Miss Ren," Thomas shouted, wrapping his arms around Vash's neck so tight he actually winced.

"Well, maybe not that tight," Ren laughed quietly.

"Hey Mr. Vash, can I have a ride?" one of the other boys asked, tugging on the tails of the large red coat.

"Well, I only have one set of shoulders," Vash laughed good-naturedly. "You'll all have to take turns."

Ren smiled at him and reached up for the small boy on his shoulders. "All right, Thomas, you better come down now and give the other boys a turn."

"Awwww… Okay, Miss Ren." Thomas huffed, but allowed himself to be lowered into Ren's arms. He and Ren stood on the shop stoop while Vash allowed the other boys to climb up onto his shoulders and ride up and down the street.

"Miss Ren, why you always ruin my fun?" the little boy pouted.

She sat down on the steps and took him into her lap. "Oh, Thomas, now don't get angry with me," she gently scolded, tapping the tip of his nose with her finger. The little one laughed.

"Is it 'cause o' my con-dish-un," Thomas said, emphasizing the last word.

Ren gave the boy a sad smile. "Yes, honey. You can't get too excited, you know. And your Mama'd have my hide if she thought _I_ was the one who let you get too riled up."

Thomas nodded, frowning. Soon his eyes brightened and he grinned. "Hey, my Mama should have lunch ready for me!"

Ren let the boy down and he ran off with a yell of "Goo'bye Miss Ren!" over his shoulder.

She laughed and looked up to see Vash staring at her. Or, she thought he had been, because as soon as she looked up he was busy teaching the older boys to wrestle again.

"Speaking of lunch, care to join me, Mr. Vash?" she called to him.

"Huh? Oh, uh, sure. Thanks!" he called, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You sure are good with the kids," she said quietly as she turned to go into her shop.

"And so are you," she heard him say softly behind her. Turning, she saw him smiling, but a moment later he was facedown in the dirt, tackled by one of the boys. Stifling a laugh she hurried to make them lunch and called him in before he got too badly injured.

* * *

After lunch, they again went to work in the shop. Normally open all afternoon, they had to close after only four hours due to the attention Vash attracted. So many customers came in to see him that Ren's tiny shop had sold out of most of the stock in the short time they were open. Better than that, she had so many broken things to fix; she would have to keep the shop closed the rest of the week to catch up!

While they sat and worked after the doors were locked, Ren noticed that Vash seemed to be using only his right hand to work with the tiny cogs and gears.

"Is… something wrong, Vash?" she frowned at him.

"Hmm? No, no…. Well…" He rubbed the back of his neck, a sign she had learned quickly meant he was embarrassed or nervous.

"What is it? Your left arm troubling you?"

"I think it needs some fine tuning," he admitted quietly. "I can't seem to be delicate enough to work with such tiny mechanics with it."

She leaned over and pulled his sleeve up, studying the prosthetic. Grabbing a screwdriver, she started to unscrew a plate only to have Vash jerk his arm away.

"Hey!" she yelped.

"There's a lot of 'Lost Technology' in this arm, and I don't want it damaged." He had a dark look about him, and while a part of Ren was shocked by his unusually violent reaction, she was more insulted at his lack of faith in her. He had seen her work on much more dainty things than his arm, and besides….

"What do you _think _I work with all day? Have you _ever_ seen craftsmanship like this anywhere else on this forsaken planet?" she snorted.

He glared at her from the corner of his eye.

"Well, have you?!"

Vash turned to her as he thought about it. "No… No, I haven't."

"I come from a long line of tinkerers, Mr. _the Stampede_."

Vash winced at the venom in her voice. He hadn't meant to offend her; he just hadn't thought anyone on this planet would know how to work on something this old and delicate.

"My great-grandfather worked on clocks and radios and things I haven't even seen called iPods or something back on Earth. He passed his knowledge for working with tiny mechanics and electronics down to his son, who passed it on to his son, and eventually my father passed it on to me. So if you think for one minute there's technology still surviving that I can't fix…" She paused to take a breath.

Vash ducked his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"What?" she barked.

He looked up at her with a sad expression that melted her heart. "I said, 'I'm sorry'."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, Vash, I – I didn't mean to…"

She could hear the half-smile in his voice. "I know you didn't."

He pulled her into his lap and held her close to him. She was so like Rem, a woman with a huge heart, who had been treated poorly in life. But Ren had no Alex to help her through the hard time in her life…. No, rather, _he _was her Alex….

"I didn't mean to offend you, Ren. I just…" He forced a laughed and a smile. "This thing is kinda delicate, y'know?"

Ren laughed, tickling his neck with her breath. He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent.

Ren sniffed and leaned back, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry, Vash. It's just…"

"So many people have doubted you all your life, I know. It's okay. And you're right, I bet you could fix the problem. If you still want to try?"

He smiled at the grin on her face, and she noticed that the light went to his eyes.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Vash slipped out of the house. Assuming he was going to play with the town children again, Ren though nothing of his absence as she made herself a small snack and cleaned around the house. She was proud of the fine tuning she had done on Vash's arm, and together they had finished most of the repairs so she would be able to open her shop in the morning, the same as usual.

It was near sunset before Vash returned; a large package under his mechanical arm and a grand smile on his face.

"Ren?" he called as he entered the back door into the kitchen.

"Up here," she called back from upstairs. He followed the sound of her voice to her small office room. She sat in a cushioned chair, gazing out the window at the streets below.

"Um, Ren, I, uh…" Vash stammered and rubbed at his neck, laying the package on her desk. "I have something for you," he finished quietly.

"Oh?" She turned from the window and gazed at the package questionably for a moment. Hesitantly, she reached out, then withdrew her hand quickly.

He laughed. "Open it. Please. It won't bite, I promise."

Ren smiled shyly, feeling foolish, and carefully opened the package, peeling back the tissue paper to reveal the top of a silk bodice.

She stared at him, unbelieving. He rubbed at his neck in a fit of nervousness, laughing stupidly.

Slowly, carefully, as if it were one of her daintiest work projects, Ren lifted the dress out of the package. She gasped as the deep purple silk unfolded to reveal a gorgeous fitted bodice and a full skirt. In a thread of a purple so deep it almost looked black, a thin trail of embroidered ivy lined the top of the bodice. The bottom of the full skirt was also bordered in embroidery, but every few inches on the ivy, a beautiful flower was stitched. By the shape, she guessed the flower was a geranium.

"Oh, Vash," she choked out, tears threatening to stain her cheeks. "Oh, I can't take this."

Vash's stupid laughter died away as he hit his forehead with his open palm. "It's the purple. You hate purple."

"No, no, the dress – "

"I thought that purple was the only color you could possibly deserve… It was once the color of royalty, you know," he said softly, his shoulders slumping with disappointment.

Ren gazed at him with tear-filled eyes. Why was he being so kind to her? He didn't even really know her.

"I – Thank you. It's beautiful…" she choked on unshed tears. "But how could I ever repay you?"

Vash perked up immediately at her words. "You like it? Repay me? But I – "

He smiled mischievously; she could see the cogs of his mind grinding away as he formed a plan.

"I know a place with a band," he offered with a grand smile.


	5. Chapter Five: Aglow

_And I give you... The... Penultimate Chapter... I think. Only one chapter to write (maybe two) and the epilogue. I can't believe it. I'll try to get the rest finished quickly. I also apologize if the wording is a little clunky. I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter. I haven't written something so emotionally bound in a while. ._

* * *

Chapter Five: Aglow

Vash tugged at his red sleeve as he waited in the kitchen for Ren to come down. He felt out of place in his heavy coat, but as he had spent his last few double-dollars and an afternoon of work in exchange for the purple dress, he didn't have much in the way of bargaining.

The creaky boards caused him to look up, and when he did, he froze at the sight that met his eyes.

"Well?" Ren asked, shyly playing with her skirt.

"Wow…." Vash drew out the word. The dress was very flattering on her delicate frame, the depth of the purple a beautiful contrast to her icy blue eyes and pale hair. Her hair was pinned back with gorgeous silver pins, a few strands wisping over her eyes, making them even more alluring.

Ren blushed furiously. "Really?"

"Really." Vash came to his senses and offered her his arm, a broad smile on his face that he knew nothing could wipe away tonight, so long as she was around.

She took his offered arm. "How did you know my size? To get it to fit so well?"

"Eh… Um… I'm good at guessing?" he offered, leading her to the door.

"Exceptionally so, it would seem," she commented as she locked the shop behind them.

Vash grinned and shrugged. "Chalk it up to natural talent," he told her offhandedly.

Remembering he was an expert marksman, she suddenly felt foolish. A man who could shoot the wings off a fly at one hundred yards surely had a good eye.

_Not that he'd ever actually harm a fly_; a thought Ren confirmed to herself as she looked up to meet his tender gaze. She flushed as she watched his eyes travel from her head to her feet and back again.

"Vash – " she began quietly, but his soft whisper cut her off.

"You're so beautiful, Ren." He took her arm and leaned to plant a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Inside and out."

Her blush deepened as she ducked her head, only to have cool, leather-bound fingers gently lift her chin.

"Look around, Ren," he whispered in her ear as he led her toward the swinging doors across the street. Lively music and soft light issued from behind the entrance, but that was not what caused her breath to catch.

All around, women stopped in their tracks and stared. Men stumbled to a halt beside their gawking wives to gape, open-mouthed and all but drooling, at the brightly colored couple.

"They're staring at you," Vash assured her.

She could not deny that all eyes seemed to be fixed on her, a fact that made her also certain her face was the same color as Vash's coat.

A small figure separated from the stilled crowd and rushed toward them. Ren reached down to scoop up the small boy, who giggled incessantly.

"Miss Ren," he said between giggles, "you look so pretty!"

"Thomas! Thomas!" His mother came racing down the dusty street, only stopping when she had her boy in her arms. "I'm sorry, Ren. He slipped out behind my back... Why, Ren... You look gorgeous!"

"Don't she, Mama?" the little boy chuckled.

Her attention drawn back to her child, the woman put on a stern face. "Why you! I oughta tan yer hide fer running off like that!" Turning to Ren, she said, "Thank you, Ren. And he's right, that dress suits you very well."

Ren flushed even more, if that was even possible, and watched as her friend went back down the now empty street, chastising her boy the whole way.

"See?" Vash asked proudly. "I told you."

Ren rolled her eyes and laughed, calmer now that the spell seemed to have been broken and the crowd had dispersed. "Oh, Eleanor always says stuff like that."

"She's the only one in town who took the time to get to know you, isn't she?"

Ren frowned at him. "How'd you know?"

His smile brightened. "Let's just say I have a few 'Eleanors' of my own."

"Me being one of them?"

He nodded, extending his hand as soft, slow music filled the street, overflowing from the Saloon. "Now... May I have this dance?"

Her smile was genuine as she took his hand and allowed him to lead her into the crowded Saloon. The patrons parted to allow them through.

Vash led Ren to the small, cleared spot one could hardly call a dance floor, and stopped near the band, wrapping his right arm gently about her waist and leading in her in a slow waltz suiting the pace of the music.

The crowd hushed their chatter as they watched the couple dance. A few other couples joined them at the edges of the tiny floor. The majority of those in the Saloon, though, were captivated by the mysterious girl in the purple dress and their stranger-savior in the crimson coat.

By the end of the song, no one in the bar could deny the chemistry between Vash and Ren…. Except Vash and Ren, of course.

As they settled themselves onto stools at the bar, the spell that had come over the Saloon seemed to break. The normal chatter resumed, the band picked up the pace and played a lively, upbeat song, and several couples filled the dance floor.

"What'll you have? On the house," the bartender asked as he came up next to them.

"Whiskey," Vash ordered, never taking his eyes from Ren.

"Water's fine, thanks," Ren replied, turning to smile at the grizzled old man behind the bar.

"Water?" Vash whispered, bringing her attention back to him. "Why – "

"Papa said ladies never touch strong drink," she confessed, her eyes shaded by long lashes as she stared at her hands. Her voice barely audible, she continued, "He said only the foolhardy and those who had nothing left to live for consumed it…"

She couldn't meet his gaze, afraid she had offended him. After a moment, she heard him shift on his stool, and she feared he was rising to leave until she heard his quiet voice.

"Make that a water, too, please."

"Aye, sir." There was a hint of confusion in the bartender's voice, but the clatter of glasses soon followed.

"Vash?" she questioned, looking up.

He grinned and offered her a glass. When she took it, he clinked the lip of his glass against hers.

"Well, I certainly have no need for 'strong drink' anymore," he told her quietly.

Ren smiled and raised her glass. "I'll drink to that," she laughed.

* * *

A few minutes later, the band again began to play a slow, romantic tune. He led her to the dance floor, and the spell again wove its magic around the Saloon. Vash and Ren stole the attention of the crowd and the band until late in the night, when they finally made their way to the swinging doors, still holding on to each other.

"Vash, I want to thank you. I do believe I have never had such a fine evening as this," she told him as she unlocked the back door to the shop.

"Neither have I," he admitted shyly.

She turned quickly, her face a mask of disbelief. "A charmer like you? I'm sure you've had much better times than this," she scoffed.

He snorted. "Hardly, _ma petite amie chérie_."

"Hmm?"

"Ah, er, an old, eh, friend taught me that phrase." Vash rubbed at his neck nervously. "It means 'my darling girlfriend' in a very old language."

Ren laughed at that, opening the door and taking his hand to pull him in behind her. She twirled to shut the door, then turned back to face him, her eyes glittering mischievously, and leaned back against the door.

"It may be old, but it's a beautiful language."

Her body language invited him closer, and Vash slowly gave in, placing his hands on either side of her head and leaning down until their noses almost touched.

"_Tu es belle ma chérie ..._" he whispered, gazing into her eyes.

She fidgeted shyly under his gaze, trying to gather her courage.

"What does that mean?"

"You _are_ beauti – "

Ren cut him off with a sudden kiss, afraid to wait any longer lest her courage give out. His eyes widened, but soon he returned the kiss.

Taking the collar of his coat in her hands, she pulled him closer. He stumbled at the height difference as she pulled him down. Vash wrapped his arms around her and easily lifted her from the floor, holding her close while never breaking the kiss.

She pulled back a moment later, laughing shyly, her fists wrapped around his collar.

"Ren…" he whispered.

"Yes?"

"I meant what I said earlier. I've never had such a wonderful evening… There's something – "

"About you, too," she finished.

"How..?" he started.

"Do I do that?" Ren shrugged. "There's just something…"

"Yeah," Vash agreed, kissing her softly. She kissed him back passionately, a deep desire in her kiss which was echoed in his own. She pressed against him, and he felt her heart pounding a heated rhythm along with his own.

Vash carefully maneuvered through the dark house to the stairs. He carried her up them, down the hall…

Ren broke away with a nervous laugh as he set her gently on the edge of her bed. She cleared her throat and looked away bashfully, not meeting his eyes.

"Oh… I – I'm sorry. I thought," he began, somewhat flustered by her actions, reading them as agitation rather than shyness.

She looked at him through her lashes, a gesture that endeared him to her even more.

"Oh, no, I – I'm not turning you away…" She wrung her hands in her lap.

Understanding, Vash took her hands in his and joined her on the edge of the bed. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it, then gently tangled his fingers in her hair and kissed her gently on the forehead. He let his soft lips travel down to the tip of her nose, then pulled away and hovered teasingly over her lips.

Ren couldn't stand it any longer, and moved to meet his gentle, but passionate kiss. He deepened the kiss and gently pushed her back to lie beside him on the bed. His fingers left her hair to travel down side to her waist, which he pulled closer to his warm body.

Vash pulled back from the kiss to cup her face in his cool, metal hand. He smiled at her visage in the soft light, and she smiled back at him, sighing contentedly.

"Vash…"

"Yes?"

"Your eyes… they're glowing…"

* * *

Vash froze for only a moment. _My eyes are glowing?_

With a sharp intake of breath he pushed himself away from her, shedding his gun and thigh holster, which he was never without, hurriedly as he stumbled out of the bed.

"I'm sorry," he gasped out as he rushed toward the hall. "I'm sorry!"


	6. Chapter Six: Salt to a Wound

_Okay, the final chapter before the epilogue... Hope you enjoy._

* * *

Chapter Six: Salt to a Wound

Ren lay quietly in her bed, wondering what she had done to scare him away. Unbidden tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks, but she made no move to wipe them away. Her pillow was thoroughly damp by the time the first rays of the sun shone into her room.

* * *

Vash rushed into his borrowed room and slammed the door behind him. He quickly shed his clothing down to his shorts, even tossing his prosthetic arm in the corner with the pile of crimson and leather. He climbed into bed and pulled the covers to his chin, his hand shaking violently as he fought the power that began to surge in his veins.

His brain was suddenly flooded with images he knew were his memories, though he could never place himself in them. He curled into the fetal position as the horrific onslaught of visions washed over him. He broke into a cold sweat at the memories.

July came back to him in full force, and stayed with him until the grey hours of dawn, when he was finally able to fall into a fitful slumber.

* * *

When Ren could no longer stand the cheery light of the morning, she rose to close the shutters to the hateful light. Stumbling out of bed, she looked down to see what she had tripped over. The white metal of Vash's revolver glowed in the sunlight.

Anger overriding the sadness in her heat, she slammed the shutters and whirled to lean against the wall, her arms folded tightly over her chest. She kicked at the hem of her skirt in a fit of fury, uncovering the pistol.

Even without the sun shining on it, the revolver glowed softly with the same sort of light Ren had seen in Vash's eyes the night before.

… _The glow that had caused him to freak out… _

It hadn't been _her_, it had been _what she'd said_.

And apparently it had something to do with his gun.

She tenderly picked it up, the faint glow dying as she examined the weapon. She pulled it from the holster and expertly flipped the break, sending the single bullet clattering to the floor as the ejector did its job.

She winced as she heard the clank of the metal, but quickly snatched it from the floor, slid it into the cylinder and closed the gun. She slid it into the holster and laid it gently on the bed.

Going to her small bedside table, Ren lit an old oil lamp and then turned to her closet, shrugging off the beautiful, but stifling, dress in favor of her wore leather pants and loose, cool blouse.

She picked up the gleaming white revolver as she passed the bed, the night's despair washed away with the dawn and her realization that she hadn't been the cause of Vash's panic.

She slipped quietly into the hall and paused by his door.

"Vash?" she whispered softly. She heard rustling, but he did not answer her. Figuring he must still be asleep, she opened the door just enough to slip inside.

The sunlight glared at her through the open windows, almost blinding her after the darkness of the hall. Even before her vision adjusted to the light, she could hear Vash's heavy breathing, interspersed with soft cries and anguished moans as he fought his dreams.

As her vision cleared, she saw him shaking on the small bed, still curled tightly in a fetal position, sweat beaded on his brow and his teeth chattering. He was bare except for his shorts, having shoved off the covers in his sleep.

A tinge of heat flooded her cheeks as she thought of the impropriety, but when she remembered her forwardness the night before, she blushed even deeper.

Shaking her head as she set the pistol and holster on the nightstand, she pulled the sheet over his shivering body and sat on the bed, cradling his head in her lap. She ran her fingers through his damp hair and made soothing sounds until his shivering stopped, his breathing slowed, and his eyes began to flutter open.

"Vash?"

He didn't respond immediately, but after a moment, his eyes fluttered open one last time and he gazed up at her.

"Ren?" Panic again filled his gaze as the night's events returned to him. "Ren, I'm so sorry, I – "

She shook her head to cut him off. "It's okay, Vash. I know it wasn't me that panicked you."

Relief flooded his eyes and he relaxed in her lap, closing his eyes and drawing deep breaths as she continued to stroke his hair.

"What did freak you out so badly?" Ren asked quietly after a moment.

Vash was silent for a minute, mulling how to put it into words.

"You remember I mentioned that there was something I wished I could forget, even though I couldn't remember most of it?"

"Yes…"

He opened his eyes and she flinched at the pain that was reflected in them.

"What I could remember was that my eyes were glowing for weeks afterward. It frightened me. I didn't want to do to you…"

"… What you did to July," she whispered, finally understanding. "Oh, Vash…"

He reached up to wipe away the lone tear that trickled down her cheek.

"Don't cry, Ren… Please. That'll just make what I have to do harder."

She sniffed and put on a brave face she didn't feel, bracing herself for what she expected to come.

"I have to leave, Ren. I have enemies tracking me, powers I don't understand – "

"That I trigger," she interrupted, sniffing again as tears threatened.

He ran his hand through her hair and cupped her cheek softly. "If I could control them, I wouldn't mind, but the last I want is for harm to befall you, Ren. I lost my only friend long ago… I would hate to lose the only one I've made in this wasteland due to stupidity on my part."

"Will you come back?"

He smiled. "When I can be certain my presence will not endanger you, I promise I will return."

She sniffed back tears, and kissed him soundly on the lips.

"You better keep that promise, Mr. Vash the Stampede."

* * *

Ren sipped her tea and stared out the window as she waited for Vash to come down the stairs. The creaky steps announced his presence before he came into sight.

"Well…."

"I fixed you some breakfast," she said softly, pushing the full plate toward him across the table.

"Ren, I – "

"Eating breakfast will put me in no more danger than I'm already in."

He smiled, unable to refute her logic, and set down his luggage.

"Thanks," he told her as he dug into the hearty food.

"You're very welcome…. In fact, you're always welcome, Vash. Never forget that."

"I won't." He smiled her before quickly finishing the meal and excusing himself.

Ren leaned against the doorframe as he walked slowly down her steps.

"I'll miss you."

Vash turned, walked back up the steps, and took her in his arms to kiss her one last time.

"I'll miss you, too."

* * *

_Eight months later_…

* * *

The sharp rapping on the door stirred Ren from her slumber. It was late in the evening, and she had fallen asleep reading in her favorite chair.

"I'm coming," she barked as the sharp knocking continued. She ran a hand through her long, tangled hair and then reached to pull open the door.

A tall, blonde stranger gazed down at her with eyes that glowed in the soft gaslight of her lantern. He wore odd, white, fitting clothing, and looked somewhat different, but she knew immediately who it was.

"Vash! Come in, come in."

Ren stepped back to let him in, but the figure only smiled.

"I knew that mouse of a brother of mine had been here," snarled a voice that certainly didn't belong to Vash.

Nervous, Ren moved to slammed the door, but the stranger overpowered her, laughing manically all the while….

* * *

_Four months later…_

* * *

Vash was amazingly calm as he approached the grassy knoll where he knew he would meet his brother. After more than a century he knew he had to face Knives and come out the victor. The fate of all those on this planet depended on it.

He drew a deep breath and thumbed the release on his holster, drawing his gun as he neared the tranquil scene. Knives would undoubtedly ambush him. Fair fights were not his style.

Surprisingly, Knives waited for him in the open, seated calmly at a table.

The past came back in a flash for the twins as they locked gazes. Mere moments, though they felt like lifetimes, passed before the brothers attacked, each gaining the upper hand and placing their gun's barrel at the other's temple.

Their scuffle continued, Vash appearing to come up defeated when Knives seized both weapons from him.

But he was far from defeated. The weapon he had hidden in this place earlier he now pulled from the sand, opening fire on his brother in a rain of bullets from Wolfwood's beloved gun.

As Vash took his revolver from Knives' side, he heard his twin whisper something.

"What was that?"

"I said, I saw your little girlfriend a while back… Ren was her name?" Knives hissed in his ear

_Crack!_

Vash released another bullet, this time from his revolver, and not Wolfwood's Cross. He quickly reloaded as Knives continued to speak.

"I showed her a good time – "

_Crack!_

"Better than you ever could – "

_Crack!_

"Don't worry, I didn't defile her honor – "

_Crack!_

"I wouldn't sully myself with a human!"

_Crack!_

Finally he fell silent, only soft moans of pain escaping Knives lips.

"For your sake, I better find her alive," Vash swore as he gathered his brother's limp form and headed back to the small town where Milly and Meryl awaited his return.

* * *

_If you want the full fight, refer to Episode 26, Under the Sky So Blue. I didn't feel the need to type up the whole thing._


	7. Epilogue, Or: Behind These Glowing Eyes

_I assumed that Trigun Maximum, which I never completed because I couldn't find a good translation and couldn't afford the actual manga, only took two years, and that Vash again leaves Milly and Meryl in a similar fashion to the way he does when he goes to confront Knives._

_I hope you enjoy this final installment... Even though it's rather short... I can't believe it's over... _='(

* * *

Epilogue

or: Behind These Glowing Eyes

_It would be thirteen months after his departure before Ren would see Vash again._

Nearly healed after her ordeal with his twin, she would be in the crowd celebrating the death of the monster Millions Knives (Warrens City not knowing the true fate of Vash's brother).

She would be doing well for herself, her connection to Vash the Stampede, Town and World Savior, having gained her more business than she could sometimes handle.

She would spy a tall, blonde stranger, dressed all in black, with vibrant green eyes that glowed behind small yellow sunglasses, standing at the edge of the crowd, gazing at her. She would see him turn, notice the now black patch of hair at the nape of his neck, and watch him remove his glasses to rub furiously at his eyes with the back of his hand, and slowly walk away.

_She would not give up hope of his return._

* * *

_It would be almost two years before she would see him again._

"Miss Ren, Vash is coming! He's out in the waste, still a mile from town! The guard spotted him!"

"Thomas? Is that you? Come in and help me!" Ren cried through the door. The young boy, who had been weak through his childhood, but was now a strapping young eight-year-old, hurriedly opened the shop door and rushed to her side.

"You're sure it's him? He looks different now," she commented, gazing behind her at the many newspaper clippings with photos of the elusive Vash littering her wall.

"It's him alright, Miss Ren." Thomas nodded fervently as he brought her the sturdy sick she used as a crutch and helped her down from the high stool.

"Oh, I knew he'd come back eventually." She pulled off her magnifying glasses and smoothed back the flighty bits of hair that refused to stay in her long bleached braid.

"How do I look?"

Thomas smiled her. "Pretty as ever, Miss Ren."

She snorted at his childish compliment. She knew she must look a fright. Knives had left her lacking her right leg below the knee, and she had an ugly, X-shaped scar between her eyebrows. Still, she considered herself lucky she had gotten away no worse off than that. The maniac had nearly killed her.

"Go on, Thomas. I can make it from here."

"Okay. Be careful, Miss Ren!" he called over his shoulder as he ran to the outskirts of town.

* * *

Vash was light-hearted as he approached Warrens City. He hoped she would still remember his promise.

Remembering his last sight of her, he slowed his pace a slight bit. Knives had marred her physical beauty with his cruelty, but Vash knew deep in his heart that Knives could not have changed who she really was, the woman he was attracted to.

Scarred or not, he was deeply in love with Ren, as much as he had been in a childlike puppy-love with Rem Saverem.

Now, he could finally admit it to himself.

Joy flooded him as he neared the town. He ran his hand through his blonde-tipped, jet black hair, hoping she would recognize him.

* * *

The crowd parted as Ren made her faltering way to the edge of town. Two of the teens Vash had wrestled with when he had spent time here, now grown men, came to carry Ren to the front of the crowd. They set her down and backed away.

The whole town waited with baited breath.

Ren waited with tears of joy.

* * *

Vash saw her reach the edge of town, though he was still a quarter-mile away. He saw her beautiful visage, and her harshly marred limb, and tears of sorrow and joy simultaneously welled up in his eyes.

He could kill Knives for what he had done to her…

But she lived… And that meant she could still be his.

* * *

Ren could stand it no longer. She hobbled forward on her crutches, tears flooding her vision.

She didn't get far before she stumbled and fell forward…

* * *

Vash saw her move toward him and dropped his pack, running full speed to meet her. He slowed as he neared her, catching her when she stumbled and pulling her into his arms before she touched the ground.

Overwhelmed with joy, he knelt on one knee and just held her tight as they both shed tears of happiness.

When at last they found composure, he settled her on his knee and took her face in his hands, gazing at the vision that had haunted his dreams for three long years.

The harsh scar glared back at him, but all he saw was his gorgeous Ren, his beautiful red flower in a world full of black.

Ren ran her hands through his black hair, marveling at the change in color. It didn't quite suit the vivacious Vash she remembered, but she knew his ordeals would not have left him unchanged.

"Oh, Ren… I'm so glad to have you back in my arms." Vash pulled her into a deep kiss, to the cheering of the crowd behind them, and to the embarrassment of Ren.

She pulled back as he lifted her and rose to his full height.

"Do you still live in the shop?" he whispered.

"Yes…"

"What would you say if I suggested we go up to your room and finish what we started three years ago?"

She blushed as she felt his swift strides carrying her towards the town.

"I'd say your eyes are glowing again. Are you sure?"

He grinned and kissed her again, resting his cheek against hers after he broke away.

He whispered in her ear, "It's okay… I don't fear my power anymore. I can control it now."

She whispered back, "Then I say, let's go…"

She pulled back to gaze into his verdantly glowing eyes, behind which, she knew still rested a heart of gold.

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed. If you liked this story, you may want to check out my Bleach fan-fic, The Way We Are._

_Stay tuned for more fan-fics from Ishtar Tiger. _=)

_THANKS FOR READING!_


End file.
